Heat exchanger



July 30, 1929.

E. J. AUTREY HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Sept. 17, 1925 A 1 6 21 Z5 2 L476 M INVENTOR. 15 By Ennesfiyllfr e;

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 3Q, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST J. AUTREY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, OF ONE-HALE TO RUSSELL HEAT EXUHANGER.

Application filed September This invention is a device for transferring the heat of one fluid to another; and while in the present embodiment of the invention the device is particularly adapted for raising the temperature of a liquid by the heat from a suitable burner, it will be understood that the novel construction is of general utility for exchange of heat, and may be incorporated in any apparatus for heating or cooling a fluid, such as a condenser, water heater, still, or steam generator.

It is the object of the invention to provide for tortuous passage through the apparatus of the fluid whose temperature is to be changed, with the fluid in intimate relation with the medium adapted to produce the temperature change, thereby providing a rapid exchange of heat and utilizing the temperature changing medium to its maximum efliciency.

More particularly it is the object of the invention to position a baifle chamber in a suitabl enclosing annulus, with one fluid passing through the annulus and around the baifle, and the other fluid of different temperature circulating through the baflie chamber and back and forth across the same.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide for circumferential movement through the baflle chamber back and forth around radial fins; and to combine said movement of the flow with circulation thereof back and forth across the battle chamber in opposite directions. I

It is a still further object of the invention to pre-circulate one of the fluids through a shell forming the enclosing annulus ot the apparatus, before discharge of said fluio into the battle chamber; thereby providing for initial exchange of heat between the circulating fluid and the fluid of different temperature passing through the enclosing annulus of the device.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide for tortuous passage of the fluic through the pro-circulating space, and to cause maximum heat radiation in the enclosing annulus of the apparatus between the spaces adapted for circulation. of said fluid.

In the drawings which show one practical embodiment of the invention particularly applicable as an instantaneous water heater:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the water heater.

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections on the lines 22 and 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a vertical section through a bafile chamber of the water heater. k

Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sections on the lines 5-5 and 66 of Fig. at.

F 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the shell 12 showing baflles 18.

The annular shell of the water heater is shown at 1 as a closed hollow structure having a flue 2 on the upper end thereof and preferably supported on lugs 3 in a sleeve 4 having a base 5 extending beneath the shell in spaced elation therefrom, with supporting legs 6 depending from the sleeve. Suitable insulating lining (not shown) may be interposed between. the shell and its surrounding sleeve.

A burner which is shown as a gas burner ring 8, is supported on the base 5 below the axial opening which extends through the annular shell 1, and perforations 9 are provided in the lower part of sleeve aand in the base 5 for supplying air to the burner.

A second closed hollow shell 12 having an axial opening extending therethrough, may be concentrically mounted in the axial open ing extending through shell 1, the shell 12 being supported by studs 13 projecting from shell 1, and spaced from said outer shell so I as to form a heatpassage between the shells as well as through the central opening extending through the inner shell.

A battle chamber 14 is mounted in the central heat passageway which extends through the device; and in practice a plurality of said bal'l'le chambers are preferably emoloyed, and are arranged in spaced superimposed relation in the central opening extending through the annular shells, and may also be disposed in the flue 2 projecting above the shells.

T he lowermost baflle chamber which is suitably spaced above the burner 8, is of relative ly small diameter so as to leave an appreciable heat passageway between the same and the surrounding shell, and the superimposed battle chambers are preferably of gradually increasing diameter so as to finally form a materially restricted heat passageway around the battle chambers.

The shell 1, as well as the shell 12 when the latter is also provided in the apparatus, is a pro-heater from which the water is discharged to the uppermost of battle chambers 14 for circulation downwardly through the succeeding lower bafile chambers.

As an instance of this arrangement a water supply pipe 15 communicates with shell 1, and the water is discharged from said shell at its opposite side. Before the water then enters the upper baffle chamber 14, it passes through shell 12, when the latter is included in the construction; and for this purpose the water discharge from shell 1 communicates with shell 12 through a pipe 16, and a discharge pipe 17 leads from the opposite side of shell 12 to the upper baffle chamber l l, from whence short lengths of said discharge pipe connect the succeeding lower baffle chambers, and the discharge pipe finally projects beyond the heater from the lowermost bafile chamber.

The water is adapted for tortuous passage through the pre-heating shells and flows around both sides of the shells from their intake to their discharge ports. As an instance of this arrangement the intake and discharge ports are adjacent the upper ends of the shells, and circumferentially spaced vertical radial fins 18 are mounted in the shells, with said fins alternately terminating short of the ends of the shells at their opposite ends, so that the water is forced to fiow up and down around the fins.

As the water flows through the bafile chambers 14;, it is also subjected to a tortuous flow and is spread out by the interior construction of the bafile chambers as shown in Figs. 4 to 6. Each of the baffle chambers is an upright closed cylindrical structure having a transverse horizontal partition 20 medially there of. Ends 17 and 17 of the various sections: of discharge pipe 17 extend into the spaces above and below the medial partition respectively, the pipe ends being centrally disposed in the baffle chamber and closed by the partition 20, and having'vertically alined lateral ports 21 and 21 opening through said pipe ends.

Upright radial fins are provided in the spaces at opposite sides of partition 20, and extend from the partition to the top and bottom of the baffle chamber, with certain of said fins shown at 22 and 22 in vertical alinement at one side of ports 21 and 21", and eX tending from pipe ends 17 and 17 to the periphery of the baffle chamber. The remaining fins 23 and 23 at opposite sides of partition 20 alternately terminate at opposite ends short of pipe ends 1'T17' and the periphery of the bafile chamber, so that in the space above partition 20, the water circulates in the direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 5, for discharge through a port 2% in parti tion 20 in back of fins 22-22 The water thus enters the space below partition 20, and circulates back and forth around fins 23 and in the opposite circumferential direction as shown by the arrows in Fig. 6, for final discharge through ports 21 into the pipe end 11 In order to increase the radiation of heat as it passes through the annular space between shells 1 and 12, battle means may be mounted in said heat passageway, and in the present instance are shown as hollow perforted cylinders 25, preferably of a.suitable clay, suspended from the studs 13.

The heat is preferably brought into intimate contact with the baffle chambers 1 1 by means of transverse baille plates 26, which have supporting legs 27 resting upon the re spective bai'll chambers for spacing the baffie plates slightly above the bafile chambers. The bafile plates extend to the wall of shell 12 and are provided with central openings 28 around the pipe 17. The heat in the central passageway of the heater thus circulates across the top of the respective bail'le chambers in intimate contact therewith and is discharged through openings 28 for similar circulation across the next upper bafile chamber.

The construction as thus described provides for tortuous flow of the water and spreads the water in a thin film over a relatively large surface which is directly in corn tact with the heating medium. Furthermore the passage of the heated gas is retarded and diverted in order to obtain maximum radiation and transfer of heat units.

I claim:

1. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for alluid, a flow circulating means in the central passageway spaced from the wall of the structure and adapted for flow of a fluid of different temperature through the flow circulating means, and a plurality of elongated perforated battles extending lengthwise of the central passageway in the space between the flow circulating means and the wall of the structure.

2. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, radially spaced annular hollow shells in the central passageway, baffle means between the annular shells, a flow discharge means in the central passageway, and inlet and outlet connections between the hollow shells and the flow discharge means arranged for flow of a fluid of different temperature successively through the hollow shells and thence through the flow discharge means for discharge distinct from the entrance of said fluid.

3. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a cen .ral passageway for a fluid, a plurality of baffle chambers spaced lengthwise of the passageway and arranged for flow of a fluid of different temperature through the succeeding bafile chambers, the battle chambers being spaced from the wall of the structure with said space increasingly restricted at the succeeding baffle chambers in the direction of the flow through the passageway.

4. Heating transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, a hollow shell in the passageway, a baflie chamber in the passageway, means for causing flow of a fluidof different temperature through the hollow shell and thence through the baffle chamber for discharge distinct from the entrance of said fluid, a transverse partition in the baffle chamber, an inlet at one side of the partition, an outlet from said side of the partition forming an inlet at the opposite side of the partition, a plurality of radial fins in the baifle chamber at each side of the partition, one of said fins at each side of the partition forming a well between the inlet and outlet at said side of the partition, and the other fins at each side of the partition alternately termi nating short of the baffle chamber at opposite ends.

5. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, a hollow shell in the passageway, and a plurality of baffle chambers spaced lengthwise of the passageway and arranged for flow of a fluid of different temperature through the hollow shell and thence through the succeeding baffle chambers, the baffle chambers being spaced from the wall of the structure with said space increasingly restricted at the succeeding bafile chambers in the direction of the flow through the passageway.

6. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, a hollow annular shell in the passageway having an inlet and an outlet adapted for flow of a fluid of different temperature through the hollow shell, means in the hollow shell between the inlet and outlet for causing flow of said fluid successively in opposite directions lengthwise of the shell, and a flow spreading means in the passageway adapted for flow from the outlet of the hollow shell through the flow spreading means for discharge distinct from the entrance of said fluid to the hollow shell 7. Heat transferring means comprising a shell including an inner and outer wall forming a jacket space, the inner wall defining a central passageway for a fluid, an inlet and an outlet adapt-ed for flow of a fluid of different temperature through the jacket space, means in the jacket space for causing tortuous flow therethrough, and a flow I spreading means in the central passageway communicatin with the outlet from the jacket space.

8. Hea transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, a hollow annular shell in the passageway, said hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet adapted for flow of a fluid of different temperature through the hollow shell, means in the hollow shell between the inlet and outlet for causing tortuous flow of fluid through the hollow shell, and a flow spreading means in the central passageway adapted for flow from the outlet of the hollow shell through the flow spreading meansfor discharge distinct from the entrance of said fluid to the hollow shell.

9. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, a hollow annular shell in the passageway, said hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet adapted for flow of a fluid of different temperature through the hollow shell, means in the hollow shell for causing tortuous flow of the fluid therethrough, a battle chamher in the central passageway, a transverse partition in the bafiie chamber having a port opening therethrough, an inlet at one side of the partition con'imunicating with the outlet from the hollow shell, said port forming an outlet from said side of the partition and an inlet for the opposite side of the partition, an outlet from said opposite side of the partition, and a radial partition at each side of the transverse partition in the same circumferential direction beyond the partition port and foaning a wall between the inlet and outlet at each side of the transverse partition to cause flow of the fluid around the baflle chamber in opposite circumferential directions at the respective sides of the transverse partition.

10. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, a hollow annular shell in the passageway, said hollow annular shell having an inlet and an outlet adapted for flow of a fluid of different temperature through the hollow shell, means in the hollow shell for causing tortuous flow of the fluid therethrough, a baffle chamber in the central passageway, a transverse partition in the central passageway, an inlet at one side of the partition communicating with the outlet from the hollow shell; an outlet from said side of the partition forming an inlet for the opposite side of the partition, an outlet from said opposite side of the partition, and a plurality of radial fins in the baffle chamber at each side of the partition, one of said fins at each side of the partition forming a wall between the inlet and outlet at said side of the partition, and the other fins at each side of the partition alternately terminating shortof the baffle chamber at opposite ends.

11. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, a hollow annular shell in the passageway, a diametrically opposite inlet and outlet for the hollow shell adapted for flow of a fluid of different temperature equally around both sides of the interior of the hollow shell, means in the hollow shell for causing tortuous flow of the fluid therethrough, and a flow spreading means in the central passageway communicating with the outlet from the hollow shell.

12; Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a iiuid, a hollow annular shell in the passageway, said hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet adapted for flow of a fluid of diilerent temperature through the hollow shell, a flow spreading means in the central passageway communicating with the outlet from the hollow shell, and battle means in the central passageway, the. said hollow shell having means for causing" tortuous flow of the fluid thcretln-ough.

13. Heat transferring means comprising a structure defining a central passageway for a fluid, radially spaced hollow annular shells in the central passageway,' a flow spreading means in the central passag eway and inlet and outlet connections between the hollow shells and the flow spreading means adapted for flow of a fluid of different temperature successively through the hollow shells and the flow spreading means.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

ERNEST J. AUTREY. 

